Story of Byzantium (5002)
Save 5001.01: TheIpleJonesion Chapter Two: Early, or Primitive, Byzantium Professor Iple Jonesion, University of Constantinople, Byzantium: A History ...the geographic isolation discussed in Chapter One would dramatically influence the development of the Early Byzantine State. The harsh seas surrounding Byzantium, the impenetrable eastern Adrian mountains, and the vast and barren Northern Peninsula, all served to prevent foreign contacts. Nevertheless, between the founding of Constantinople in 4000 BC and the end of the Early Byzantine Era, around 2000 BC, contact had been reached with the Republic of Tyre, the Llamate of Kathmandu, and the Republic of Monaco, though serious relations were only maintained with the Republic of Tyre. In addition, various tribal peoples were met, mainly centered in their homeland in the north. These peoples were related to the Byzantine, Tyrian, and Monacan peoples, but had rejected urban settling. Some of these tribes were assimilated into Byzantium, but starting around 3500 BC, the increase in Byzantine weapons found in the north suggest a period of sustained warfare against them. Byzantium was then organized around a Prince, holding court in Constantinople, with various strong noble figures rising up from time to time and deposing the prince. There was little central authority, and various war leaders- descendents of the primitive tribes that had settled Constantinople- often rose up to protest taxes or levies. The population remained limited, Constantinople reaching around 50,000 citizens and slaves by the end of the Primitive Era, Adrianople on the Adrian Mountains reaching about 2,000. Constantinople, however, was graced by one of the most formative and beautiful examples of Primitive Architecture, the Temple of Artemis, a temple to the crude and unformed religion of the time... Save 5002.02: RetroSpaceMan All Hail The King Outside his royal chamber, Layes rest a noble king, Who through his hard labor, Took his country from an insignificant thing, To something that the gods will favor. From the farthest frontiers, His subjects stand together, As they shed tears, For the men who defended them from the nether. As our navy controls the sea, And our monuments stand strong, One phrase shall be heard in glee. All hail the King! All hail the King! Save 5002.03: dommitor The early Byzantines were a surprisingly literate people. We found a collection of writings during the late Classical to early Medieval period of Byzantium. Together, they tell the story of the Byzantine history from the 5th century BC to 5th century AD from the perspective of the people. “After a long grueling war against the savages, today we finally have cleared their encampment! May the oligarchs back north in Constantinople be pleased with what we have accomplished here.” - an unnamed captain, circa 420 BC “Our nations having only just met, most here say that I am the first immigrant from Almaty to Byzantium. I look forward to a new life here, perhaps taking a Byzantine spouse, and raising a family here.” - a wealthy traveler, circa 400 BC “I have set my eyes upon the most magnificent of mountains.” - the discoverer of Mt. Fuji, circa 395 BC “Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated.” - the Byzantine prophet Confucius, circa 370 BC “Today shall mark 1 YK, years of the king, and I shall be your king, far more wise and handsome than Confucius whose great legacy I shall continue, and whose memory we mourn today.” - King Dommitor I, 349 BC “Dearest Mother and Father, on this 4th of Dommitober in 25 YK, I have given up the life of the sea and have instead decided to move to Cape Town, a new City-State we discovered on the islands. I have met a beautiful girl here, and she shall be my wife. Perhaps one day you shall visit and see how beautiful it is here, and how beautiful she is...” - a sailor, 325 BC “Let it be noted that on 93 YK the award for greatest discovery in Byzantium goes to Pythagoras for the invention of mathematics. Without it, I would not know we have had 93 years of monarchy.” - King Dommitor IV, 257 BC “There have been some rumblings in my Confucian church that a new religion is on the rise. I believe it is called something like Pratistantism? It has already seduced some members of our church...” - an unnamed priest, circa 250 BC “The people of Almaty have expressed their gratitude that we have cleared the encampment to their north. My ancestors would be proud that I keep their tradition of clearing the islands south of Constantinople from savagery, and Queen Dommitoria I has sent a request to honor me with a mysterious reward...” - an unnamed captain, circa 250 BC “To Queen Dommitoria II, on this 12th of Iplevember in 154 YK, might I invite you and your wife to be present at our palace where we can celebrate the newfound acquaintanceship of our people…” - leader of Kiev, 196 BC “There have been many great digs in the past centuries, but if I must say, this one has been the best find yet! It appears that weaponry from ancient barbarian wars have survived...” - unnamed archaeologist, circa 130 BC “Henceforth, the great Byzantium, I now decree, will extend its protection to all City-States which it neighbors, to be effective so long as I breathe and beyond, subject to renewal by my successors...” - King Dommitor VIII, circa 100 BC “Our ancestors have fought against barbarians for centuries on this Southern Peninsula so that we may, on this glorious 325th Year of our Kings and Queens, settle in this new City...” - Mayor of Nicaea, 25 BC “Instead of trading a goat for ten bushels of apples, and those ten bushels for two donkeys, why not we use this piece of metal to represent a bushel, and price the goat at 10 bushels and the donkey at 5 bushels?” - inventor of currency, 25 AD "Dear Diary, I met Otto von Bismark the leader of Germany today at our new embassy in Berlin, and I must say, he is so hot. Who can control themselves in front of a confident old man with a large moustache? I cannot help but fantasize that our people would be calling for a royal marriage between us to unite Byzantium with our new western neighbors. Sadly, it seems more likely that we will make war and not love. Those Germans cannot be trusted.” - King Dommitor XII, 24 AD “My people visited your puny little Nicaea and we must say, your city does not impress us. We will be giving you a poor review on the Yelp Times and recommending travel to prettier destinations on the continent.” - Florentine tourist, circa 80 AD “I founded Catholicism because I find Protestantism to be too hell-bent on rules and rituals, yet I find Confucianism to be too confooshing. Beware Byzantium, we are going to make you all Catholic soon enough...” - Pope Francis I, circa 100 AD “Ni hao, wo men de pengyou. I look forward to seeing Zhongguo ren come to our new embassy in Constantinople. May this be a promising sign for a good friendship between our peoples...” - Queen Dommitoria VI, circa 100 AD “473 YK, Constantinople, caught 600 tuna, 200 bass, and 45 cod.” - unnamed fisherman, 123 AD “...The people in the cities are becoming more and more crowded, causing many people to become irate. The only thing seeming to soothe the masses are the imports of Chinese furs and fried rice, but it is unlikely that these imports will satiate the masses for too long. If overpopulation is not dealt with, I fear an uprising...” - unknown author, circa 150 AD “China and Germany both appear interested in Monaco, the City-State directly to our west. I am not sure it is a great idea to join in with the inevitable dick-swinging contest that is trying to impress the Monacans, but it also does not seem wise to give up such a tactically well-placed ally.” - advisor to the King, circa 200 AD “Want to go somewhere to be stressed? Visit Byzantium, ranked busiest in the world!” - a failed motto from 255 AD “Confucianism, now and forever” - graffiti in Adrianople, circa 330 AD “We wish to welcome you to the Lollipop Guild, est. 700 YK” - an invitation letter, circa 350 AD “After seven hundred and one score years of tyranny, the people are fed up. We want our freedoms, and we want to no longer live under the oppressive rule of Dommitors and Dommitorias. There has been growing talk of overthrowing the monarchy and establishing a republic. The best view, however, would be for the King, the Queen, and their Princes and Princesses to step aside peacefully and let the people rule once more.” - the Liberty Manifesto, 370 AD “The Chancellor has negotiated open borders with the Germans for some economic incentive. Is this truly a good faith trade, or is something more sinister afoot? I worry for our friends in Nicaea.” - secret letter between generals, 452 AD “With Confucianism in Nicaea, Byzantium is on the right path. Soon, Germany and China will follow.” - priest, 490 AD Save 5002.04: Tiberius Byzantium: Greek Fire, Mt Fuji and an Unfulfilled Dream A story for Civ:PiF (Civ 5) - Mk2, Part 4 Greed. That’s the only word to describe the dynasty that ruled Byzantium during a good part of the middle ages. There was nothing these madmen and madwomen loved more that wonders and temples. But of course, it was all a facade to spread their lies and remain in power. First, they built a temple for divination, they called it the Oracle. While the construction of this building made the masses more pious, it also made them more ignorant. Gullible people spent every penny they had for hearing these false prophecies. Soon, the whole Byzantine empire was filled with temples, where the masses kept being brainwashed. Emperor Tibadiagonas took advantage of the political favor his family had carefully amassed throughout the years and launched an aggressive military campaign against the city of Almaty, which together with the newfound city of Antioch, would give Byzantium absolute control over the Adriatic Sea. Conquering Almaty would also grant Byzantium control over Mt. Fuji. This important pilgrimage site was the missing piece of the puzzle Tibadiagonas needed to create a perfect theocratic state. With the great temple Hagia Sophia being built in Constantinople, the coffers of the church, which of course was also controlled by the Emperor, would overflow. And so greek fire rained upon the city of Almaty, as the mighty byzantine fleets besieged the city, the Emperor’s elite cavalry dealt the final blow before the city fell. Everything was going according to plan, until one day, an earthquake struck Constantinople and demolished the unfinished great temple. Without a site to brainwash the many inhabitants of the capital, more and more citizens began realizing the truth, until an uprising was inevitable. In a desperate attempt to remain in power, the Emperor followed in the footsteps of his Roman predecessors, ordering the construction of arenas in every city to appease the population. But, alas, it was too late, and the Emperor was stabbed to death at the entrance of his palace in a very caesarian fashion. Save 5002.05: TheIpleJonesion Excerpts from the Files of the Holy Monastery of Constantinople During the Byzantine Middle Ages, some of the only accurate records were kept by monks. During this time, they produced records detailing religious events, with little regard for secular kings or geopolitics. Annotations in Red. 1110 AD- Praised be God and Confucius, a Great Prophet (Tentatively identified as Zhu Xi) has been born. By the divine will, he has been dispatched to China (Then a Buddhist stronghold). 1150 AD- By the will of the Lord, Religious Tolerance (Mainly an attempt to stop pre-Confucian pantheons from persisting) has been Decreed. We are all people of the Lord. 1210 AD- Borobudur (The vast temple complex, quite possibly bankrupted the Byzantine state), the temple of God and Man, has been Constructed, praised be God and Confucius. 1220 AD- Milan, filled with sinners with immortal souls has been discovered. We must convert them for fear of divine punishment. 1230 AD- Praised be, the sinners of Florence (Then part of China, later independent) have seen the light and been Converted. 1260 AD- By God’s benevolent praise, Geneva has been converted, By His Immutable Wisdom, Shanghai has been Converted 1290 AD- With the light of the lord, a Great Prophet has been Born (Tentatively identified as Jing Qi)and sent to the sinners of Germany (Birthplace of Buddhism), The heathens of Beijing Converted, including their Petty Emperor (After 1290 AD, China would remain Confucion, the ‘emperor’ mentioned is probably Syndic Han Je), the unrighteous of Wellington have been made righteous and Converted 1300 AD-Heathen Danes met (Trade route in Beijing found by monks), their souls are at risk of Hellfire, DH Lawrence writes Lady Charlette’s Letter (Two existing original copies show a savagely anti-religious short book, popular at the time as Religious authorities seized more and more power), a savage abomination against God and Man, Glory in Cape Town as the people are by His Divine Will Converted 1350 AD- Sinners have seen god, Merchants have seen hearts (A reference to worsening economic conditions), Kiev Converted 1370 AD- The bastions of Satan are falling, for Kathmandu is converted (Kathmandu was famously resistant to Confucianism), and by the Divine Glory, Confucianism has been reformed to accommodate Holy Education (An order of monks was created to teach the illiterate) Save 5002.06: RetroSpaceMan The Patriarchal Authority Under the guise of stabilizing the nation, the patriarchs of Byzantium conspired to take charge of their civilization’s fate, and lead it to a more holy direction. They have already converted all of the known world, even outcompeting the heretic faith. However, the Emperor with his nobles didn’t reflect the values the Byzantine people were following. He was wasting all of his money building lavish wonders and throwing extraordinary parties. If he had stayed in power for any longer, surely the nation would collapse. Something had to be done, now! On a late winter night of 1560, the patriarchs arrived in the Grand Temple, to undergo their daily prayers and ceremonies when the Emperor walked in. “Hey guys,” shouted the rather oversized man, “I thought the voodoo stuff was supposed to be after we drink all the wine in the cellar?” Hastily, the patriarchs tackled him to the ground, and soon, the Emperor was dead. With no direct heir to the throne, the empire could quickly collapse into civil war. Thankfully, the patriarchs had a plan. At sunrise, the patriarchs walked out of the grand temple to deliver the grim news. Late in the night, while praying, Emperor Jonesion V had died of a heart attack and died. Without a direct heir, he had left the throne to the Patriarch of Constantinople, and whatever wealth was left was given to the patriarchs themselves. On the day of his coronation, Emperor Retro VI went to work integrating the patriarchy into the Byzantine Government. Although the Emperor still remained the head of state and government, the position became elected by the patriarchs of the empire, who themselves were elected by their local church. This system of government would become known as the Patriarchal Authority, and would survive for hundreds of years. Although someone would need to become a priest to even qualify to become Emperor, and since all high positions had lifetime terms, this would become the largest example of a democracy in the known world for quite a while. Once the Patriarchal Authority took hold, they were able to bring the budget to a surplus. However, the international scene to a massive twist during this time due to the discovery of Russia, Holland, and Austria. They originate from lands far away from the homelands, and have faiths more heratical then the one wiped out so long ago. With a new age dawning on they Byzantine Empire, one question laid flat for the patriarchs to answer: should the empire modernize and evolve with the changing times, or should the empire stay in the holy ways they always had? Save 5002.07: ArchWizard101 For immediate delivery to the Byzantine Embassy, From the Ambassador of Germany, Fredrick. To Archwizard of Byzantium Due to your, and your people’s repeated transgressions against the German Empire, especially concerning your aggressive and distasteful spread of heresy, and your savage onslaught on our native lands and other lands that we have the Divine right to hold, I Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of Germany, Hereby Denounce you, the Byzantine Empire, and all who live within it. Sincerely, Otto von Bismarck of Germany -- For immediate delivery to the German Embassy, From the Ambassador of Byzantium, Justin. To Otto von Bismarck of Germany In response to the Defamation of the Byzantine Empire, and Due to your unholy claims upon land that belongs to the Byzantine Empire, for spreading Heresy to the peoples of Berlin and other places, and unless the German Empire denounces all claims to the land between Hamburg and Nicea, and unless the German Empire forcibly quells all heresy within the German Empire, A state of War will exist between the German Empire and the Byzantine Empire. We trust in your compliance, Archwizard of Byzantium -- For immediate delivery to the German Embassy, From the Ambassador of Byzantium, Justin. To Otto von Bismarck of Germany As no response has been given to our just demands, and Due to your hostility and Denouncement of the Byzantine Empire, today, in the year 1630,A State of War does now exist between the German Empire and the Byzantine Empire. Archwizard of Byzantium For immediate delivery to the Byzantine Embassy, From the Ambassador of Germany, Fredrick. To Archwizard of Byzantium Due to the irreparable harm that this war has done to both of our empires, in exchange for peace between us, I will surrender, and we will disavow the rights to the city of Munich and give the city to you. We must not let war define who we are. The time has come to make peace. Humbly, Otto von Bismarck of Germany -- For immediate delivery to the German Embassy, From the Ambassador of Byzantium, Justin. To Otto von Bismarck of Germany In the year 1660, I accept the terms for your surrender. Yours in Peace, Archwizard of Byzantium -- John of Nicea June, 1635 Dear John of Nicea, We have received your letters and records from the University of Nicea, and we are very pleased to offer you a seat in the first class of Oxford University in Constantinople. Congratulations, we will see you at the beginning of the year. Sincerely, Justinian, Dean of Oxford Save 5002.08: dommitor ORDER FALLS, UNCERTAINTY RISES The Yelp Times, January 1750 edition CONSTANTINOPLE -- As many celebrants on Monday rang in the New Year, they did not know they would also be ringing in a new era for Byzantium. Late last night, a mysterious coup occurred in the Constantinople Palace, where the occupying Order of Acoudemus was pushed out by a new group of leaders, whose identities have yet to be revealed. The Order of Acoudemus enjoyed a nearly 75-year reign without opposition until now. The Order was described as a neo-Dommitorian group that idolized the kings of medieval times and scorned the theocratic emperors who had reigned for over a millennium before the Order had captured the people’s interest. The Order believed that faith should not be the sole focus of our nation, but they did not consider themselves anti-Confucian. In fact, under the Order’s control, Confucianism has spread to Moscow in 1675, Amsterdam in 1695, Berlin in 1720, and Cologne in 1725, and is currently spreading in Florence and Cop- enhagen. That brings the number of Confucian Cities from 17 to 22, with Austria’s Ca- tholicism controlling below a dozen Cities. It is clear however that the Order wished to increase the Civilization’s focus beyond faith, such as on gold, with the discovery of economics in the early 1700s. For the past 40 years, the Governors of Adrianople and Antioch have supported growing the economy, funds which the Order has used to improve relations with Milan, a cultured City-State. Meanwhile, the Governors of Constantinople and Nicaea have pushed forward the research efforts of Byzantium. Ten years ago, the Order declared that Architecture had been discovered and that they would focus on bringing Byzantium into the Industrial Era with Scientific Theory, which is still under research and not expected to finish any time soon. In addition to scientific progress, the Order also bragged about Byzantine cultural progress under the Order’s direction as well, with the Constantinople Opera House being built in the 1710s and hosting Cecil Bustamente Campell, a great musician. Rumor has it that Adrianople is also inviting a great musician to their Opera House which is currently under construction. As for global politics, many alliances have remained over the Acoudemian period, such as Dutch-Capetonian, Chinese-Genevan, Byzan- tine-Monacan, and Byzantine-Wellingtonian alliances. New alliances have been forged such as the Byzantine-Milanese, Russian-Porteño, Dutch-Nepalese, and German-Dutch alliances; meanwhile the Dutch-Russian alliance has deteriorated. Relations between Germany and Byzantium remain weak, likely due to Byzan- tine control of Munich since pre-Acoudemian times, and Dutch-Byzantine relations weakened due to religious pressures in Amsterdam during the late 1690s. Some critics believe that the Order has not been diplomatic enough; however, there are rumors that the Order bribed Russia, a Civilization with a high global standing, to start its recently declared war with Austria, whose Catholicism remains the major competitor for Con- fucianism, and who is unhappy with our pre- Acoudemian proposal to make Confucianism a world religion. The best description for the Order’s governance has been a balanced approach, focusing on Liberty over Piety, and working toward im- proving Byzantium’s wealth, science, hap- piness, and culture instead of zealous Con- fucianism, a highly popular direction for Byzantium during the past century. It is unclear whether the Order’s successors will continue this balanced approach, regress our nation back to an oppressive theocracy, or take Byzantium in a new direction entirely. Only time will tell. Byrennius Philaretus is a reporter on Byzantine history and global affairs for the Yelp Times. Save 5002.09: Tiberius Royal Edict June 6th, 1740 The army shall be modernized to protect against potential foreign invasions. The men shall be trained in the use of muskets and wooden siege weapons shall be replaced by gunpowder-based heavy weaponry. Signed, King Theopemptus ------------------------- December 5th, 1742 The Parliament of Constantinople hereby decrees: # That naval infrastructure in every byzantine city shall be modernized within 50 years of the passage of this law. # That there shall be a subsidy of 30 gold solidus for merchants that engage in trade with the eastern isles. # That the price of furs for international trade shall be fixed at 700 gold solidus per ton. This price shall apply unless the government of Byzantium has an special diplomatic interest in the importer of the goods. Signed, Dorotheus, President of Parliament ------------------------- July 25th, 1748 The Parliament of Constantinople hereby decrees: # That the puppet state of Almaty shall be annexed to the Byzantine Empire. # That all residents of Almaty shall become byzantine citizens and granted full rights that such status encompasses. # That the government shall purchase all land plots in a radius of 20 miles around Mt Fuji and establish a natural reserve in this land. Total investment shall not exceed 800 gold solidus. Signed, Euphemius, President of Parliament ------------------------- Royal Edict January 3rd, 1763 The Byzantine Empire shall enter a formal alliance with the Kingdom of Korea. As negotiated by the representatives of both nations, koreans shall enjoy free passage through byzantine territory and both nations shall join efforts in funding scientific research projects. Signed, King Theopemptus ------------------------- Royal Edict September 28th, 1790 The crown of byzantium will sponsor naval exploration activities with a sum not to exceed 200 gold solidus per year. This money shall be used to improve the structural features of vessels and may be used by ship captains for a one-time increase of salaries for their crews of up to 1 gold solidus per year, per crew member. Queen (Regent) Pericleia July 13th, 1810 Preamble # That Byzantium is a Theocratic Republic under the holy mandate of Confucius. # That the world has rejected Confucianism as the World Religion with four Nay votes against three Yea votes. # That Confucianism is the one true religion and it is of utmost importance that the world recognizes it as such for the interests of the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Congress hereby establishes: # That as host of the World Congress, Byzantium shall propose the recognition of Confucianism as the world religion once again. # That Byzantium shall make reasonable efforts for city-states to gain the right to vote in the World Congress. # That the Byzantine Government shall make reasonable efforts to convince city-states to vote together with Byzantium in the World Congress. # That a group of missionaries shall be sent to the continent of Baltika in order to convert the remainder of heretics to the true religion. Missionaries shall concentrate their initial efforts in the city of Buenos Aires. Signed, Eusthatius Congressional President Save 5002.10: TheIpleJonesion This May Or May Not Have Happened -From unconfirmed Confucion archives Unnamed Voice One: You’re telling me, our people are basically illiterate Unnamed Voice Two: Yes. Unnamed Voice One: And we’re falling behind other countries because of this Unnamed Voice Two: Yes. Unnamed Voice One: And this is a national security threat Unnamed Voice Two: Yes. Unnamed Voice One: But we have all these churches Unnamed Voice Two: Yes. Unnamed Voice One: Filled with educated priests who can read and write Unnamed Voice Two: Yes. Unnamed Voice One: So… we could just have all the priests teach kids how to read and write Unnamed Voice Two: Yes. Unnamed Voice One: Advancing our scientific development and strengthening church control simultaneously! Unnamed Voice Two: Yes. Unnamed Voice One: You say anything other then yes? Unnamed Voice Two: No. Save 5002.11: RetroSpaceMan President Hermes Mann’s Address on the Assassination of Retro X (c.1858) During the industrial revolution in the early 19th century, many byzantine citizens began to move from their agrarian lifestyles to the rapidly expanding urban society due to the massive investment by the Byzantine government to expand its industrial capacity. The efforts by the Confucian clergy to educate the populace on basic reading comprehension and mathematics have made this transition easier than most civilizations during the era. However, this also allowed for extremist ideologies such as the autocratic Purple Jackets and the atheist People's Union to gain a foothold in Byzantine politics, blaming the omnipresent clergy for the declining state of Byzantium. With the assassination of Retro X and the end of the Byzantine royal line in 1858, it came upon Congressional President Hermes Mann to lead his country through this pivotal moment in Byzantine history. Today, his royal majesty planned to speak to this Congress to address the current state of our civilization. However, due to the events of earlier today, those plans have changed. And with these change of plans, I stand in his royal majesty’s place in order to deliver to this Congress the grim news. I’m personally heartbroken about these events, and hoped and prayed that I wouldn’t have to make this address, but here we are. A few short hours ago, his royal majesty Retro X has been assassinated during a visit to the newly opened factory in Constantinople. The city has already been placed under martial law and the search for the criminal scum who committed such a heinous crime is already underway. I can personally assure you that we will catch these conspirators and have them hanged promptly. However, this Congress has a much more urgent crisis to handle. Withe. death of his royal highness without a suitable heir in sight, the throne sits empty, awaiting someone to lead this country to greatness. When President Eusthasius declared the Byzantine Republic nearly 50 years ago, he ushered in a new era of opportunity for our citizens to decide what their government does for them. Although the Royal family remained, and continued to rule until this faithful tragedy occured. They have guided our civilization since the reign of Archwizard the Great, and have done a phenomenal job at making Byzantium into the powerhouse of both history and today. However, over the generations, they have become detached from their subjects, and become trapped in the bubble we know as the royal palace. It’s time for the Byzantine people to decide their government’s direction in world affairs. Byzantium throughout history has always leaned towards the democratic control of the state by its people. From the Chancellors of the Classical Era, to the Patriarchal Authority of the Byzantine Renaissance, to the Amadeus Order of our Grandfather's generation, and the formation of this very Congress, we have always had some sort of system for even the poorest citizen to become the most powerful emperor of our civilization. Even when Emperors tried to bring us back to the dark days of total autocracy, we have always resisted. Therefore, we should follow in the footsteps of our ancestors and give the authority left by his royal highness to the people. As of today, the powers of his royal highness shall be inherited by the Congressional President, and the position shall be renamed to “President of Byzantium.” The President of Byzantium shall be elected by the people of Byzantium just like a congressperson, starting in the next government elections in 1860. Although this Congress can go through the effort of finding a suitable replacement for an heir, it’s of my personal belief of me and the many members of Congress that it’ll be in the best interest to avoid a succession crisis all together and take direct control of this great country. With the Purple Jackets increasing their militia numbers, and the People’s Union curtailing more of our populous with their vile propaganda, we’ll be in a civil war before we can find a suitable heir to the throne. As we grieve at the lost of his royal highness, we must not forget about the citizens who serve their civilization well. It’s time for this Congress to step up once again to guide Byzantium to greatness. We have the talent, we have the capital, and we have the will to make this country again. The dream of a democratic Byzantine Republic shall finally be realized, and we will make Byzantium great again. The Emperor is Dead, Long Live the President! Save 5002.12: dommitor To my good friend Julius Ganz, On this 12th of August of 1900, Congratulations on your entrance to a Confucian seminary in Munich! I know that you will be a great priest one day, spreading the good word of Confucius throughout both Byzantine Munich and its German neighbors. In fact, I remember a time before Munich was annexed by President Mann in 1870, but I’m sounding like such an old lady now. That is a story for another time. You asked about the vision in my dreams. Oh, it was frightful! I saw a war on a global scale, unlike any war we have ever seen. The Russian-German-Dutch alliance triangle had fully adopted Denmark into its fold, and the Korean-Austrian-Byzantine alliance triangle adopted China into our own. With defensive pacts all over the place, and City-States all allied to one Civilization or another, a small skirmish between two opposite parties led to all-out war. The congregants of my church have been working out whether or not this vision is an actual prediction of what is to come, a warning of something that we can avoid, or if it is a metaphor for some kind of cultural struggle. As you know, in the Third Council of Constantinople in 1876, the world again rejected Confucianism. While I much admire President Mann’s general support of the Byzantine faith, he had decided not to repropose the failed plan, but he instead proposed the Standing Army Tax in order to disincentivize the growth of armies. I was disappointed at the time, but now, after my vision, I am thinking, perhaps Mann knew something we do not? Despite all the propaganda waged against him, President Mann was a great president in my view. He supported an increase in missionaries, propelled us into the Modern Era, and focused on our economic prosperity. That prosperity allowed the current President Angelus who followed after to increase our ties to a handful of City-States, some here in the Archipelago, like Kiev. If we keep this up, we should have a majority of delegates in the World Council, but I just wish that Confucianism as a World Religion were on the ballot now that we might actually be able to win it. Alas, I may never see it happen in my lifetime, but maybe you will. Here I’ve gone, rambling on about global politics and recent events, through most of which you would still have been a young boy (my, do I feel old!). In any case, I pray for your success in the Seminary. I hope that you will also pray for President Angelus in his poor health. Have you heard, he has decided to withdraw his run for re-election? I wonder who will take his place. I have heard that Gerhard or even Talgat might have good odds. Let us just pray that it is someone committed to peace and faith, not war and witchcraft. May Confucius guide you along your way, and please do write back telling me what all that you are learning from the Muenchner Order. If Father Friedrich is still preaching the possibility for a Confucian-Catholic fusion religion, then I may need to have another word with him. From the desk of Delmatia Zonara, Priestess of the Confucian Church of Antioch Save 5002.13: Tiberius - It’s incredible how people believe in the illusion of democracy, don’t you think? - said the tall man with the thick moustache. The old man remained silent. - Anyway, you wanted to see me. I take it you want to take my offer? - Indeed. - said the old man. - Very well then, let’s discuss the terms of our agreement. The tall man took out a pen and began filling out a piece of paper. - Then thousand byzantine dollars, 25 acres of land in the coast of Almaty… The old man frowned while the tall man looked at him with a smug smile. - What’s the matter Gerhard? Is this not enough for you? Or is it that you’re as correct as you make the people think you are? - Let’s just get this over with. - replied Gerhard - As you wish. You know, maybe if you were not as grumpy, you would have an actual chance at this election. Gerhard remained silent once again while the tall man handed the piece of paper to one of his companions, who immediately left the house. - Believe it or not, I respect you Gerhard. That’s why I’m going to let you in on my plans for when I become president. Since world tensions have risen so much in the last couple of decades, we need to be prepared. The church has taken too big of a role in state affairs. Our supposed political influence in the world congress has failed to enact Confucianism as world religion two times, and it’s looking like third time is not going to be the charm. Meanwhile, Denmark seeks to cripple our capability to expand our network of allies by embargoing city-states. It’s time to capitalize our scientific leadership to show our rivals our power is unmatched. In order to do that, however, we need to expand. We cannot rely on our allies for coal, and especially, we cannot rely on them for precious aluminum. First we need to take advantage of the unclaimed land between Ukraine and Nepal. Establishing a colony there would allow us to extract the necessary coal to modernize our navy. - What navy? - asked Gerhard - all we have is a fleet of frigates exploring far away from home and an old fleet of privateers. - Exactly, my perceptive friend. You think we can be a world power without military power? Our empire is divided by the sea and we barely have any ships to defend it. And a proper navy is essential for my plans to succeed. I plan on opening an academy in Constantinople to train the crew of our ships to be able to repair them in open sea. - But you were talking about defending our empire, why would you need them to do that if they are going to be near our shores? - I said our seas were undefended, not that I was going to use the navy to defend them. As I said, we cannot rely on our allies for aluminum supplies. You know better than anyone that allegiances can change overnight. What’s the weakest country with access to aluminum that you can think of? It took Gerhard a second or two to come to an answer. - You’re not planning to attack Argentina, are you? - Of course I am. But I don’t plan on stopping there. You can’t expect one tiny aluminum mine to supply our whole empire. Once I can establish a foothold on the continent, I’m going directly for the heart of Russia. The vast supply of minerals there will help us create the most powerful army the world has ever seen. Gerhard looked at the tall man with horror. - You’re a madman Talgat! I don’t want any part in this. You’ll drive us all to ruin! - I’m afraid you’re too late, my friend. Talgat stood up and walked towards the front door. - Oh, look, the newspaper arrived, you may want to take a look at it. While Talgat walked towards his carriage, Gerhard picked up the newspaper. The front page read “Anonymous source reveals big transfer of assets from unknown party to Eneas Gerhard. The police are investigating the source of the funds, but it is suspected that Gerhard received the funds in exchange for political favors.” Save 5002.14: TheIpleJonesion Excerpt from Byzantium As Empire: The Purple Empire at the Dawn of the 20th Century, by Dr. Gerhard Palaiologos, University of Antioch Press … the foundational conflict of the transition from the Romantic school of Byzantine politics, characterized by steady influence through the world by cultural, economic, and religious power guided by high elites in religion and science, to the Imperial school- characterized by mass military action, mass cultural phenomenons, and mass political action throughout the world, was the annexation of the Argentine Republic. The conflict began over a minor trade dispute in the late 19th century, which was fueled by political actors- the famous coal barons chief among them- in Constantinople. A turning point in the crisis from diplomatic spat to all-out war was the now-debunked canard about the persecutions of Confucian minorities by Argentine officials. While never fully embraced by the Patriarch (Paul V), it was allowed to spread, and his silence was a covert endorsement. The outrage led to an immediate declaration of war. A new navy was constructed, including, for the first time, coal-burning ironclads. Assembled in the newly founded colony of Varna (1902)-named after a supposed martyred Confucian, it set sail for Buenos Aires. The strategy was new as well. For the first time Byzantium was fighting a war across the sea, and a new generation of naval officers were born to lead it. The war was broadly popular across all specters of Byzantine culture, with rural farmers supporting the ‘crusade of Varna’, urban labourers supporting the economic benefits of increased ship production, religious leaders calling it a holy war, technocrats calling it a ‘scientific conflict’, and politicians savouring colonialist ideals. Despite several notable wins for Argentina, it was unable to resist the New Model Navy for long, and in 1910 was captured. The iconic photograph- widely distributed in presses- of an ironclad sailing up the Rio De La Plata was taken during the surrender following the token landing party after brutal shelling. In its place was formed the puppet Argentine Democratic State, which was formally annexed in 1915, after five years of puppet rule. Taken against the world political scene- in 1912 the formerly great Austria empire tottered over and finally collapsed to Danish rule, the war...